A Muslim religious leader taught racial hatred and intolerance, the Old Bailey has heard.

Abdullah el-Faisal, 39, from Stratford, east London, is accused of circulating tapes of his sermons which called on Muslims to kill Jews, Hindus and other non-believers - charges he denies.

The prosecution alleges that Mr el-Faisal went beyond uttering holy teaching and preached his own race-hate interpretations.

Their case is based on transcripts of tape recordings of talks by the cleric at meetings or study groups which were put on sale, David Perry for the prosecution said.

What is important is what the defendant said and what was in his mind before he said it

David Perry, prosecution

From February 2002, Mr el-Faisal attended and spoke at a number of public meetings across the country.

"But the defendant did not confine himself to expressing his own theological belief," Mr Perry said.

"He encouraged his audience to wage war on non-believers - those who do not follow the Muslim faith - Hindus, Jews and citizens of the United States.

"The war was to be waged by terrorising the non-believer and killing them.

Preached hatred

"Quite simply, the prosecution's case is that he was preaching and encouraging his audience to murder and he was also preaching racial hatred."

Mr Perry said it was hard to gauge the effect the cleric's words had on his audience, but "what is important is what the defendant said and what was in his mind before he said it".

He added that the tapes preached hatred and intolerance.

"Although the defendant speaks as a spiritual guide seeking to direct the behaviour of his audience, what is noticeably absent from these talks given by a cleric, an Imam, a priest - are expressions of love, hope, charity compassion or pity."

Trial continues

Mr el-Faisal denies five charges of soliciting a person or persons unknown to murder others under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.

He also denies two charges of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to stir up racial hatred in tape recordings.

The final two charges relate to him possessing and distributing tape recordings containing threatening, abusive or insulting words.